If you’re a Nigerian who has recently asked yourself if the situation in the country could get any worse, you might be disappointed by this latest update. On top of already existing terror groups in the country— Boko Haram, Ansaru (an offshoot of Boko Haram), the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and Lakurawa— a new terrorist group named Mahmuda has just emerged in Nigeria.
What’s going on?
For some time now, rural communities in Niger and Kwara States have reportedly suffered brutal attacks from the terror group, which have led to several deaths, kidnappings, and ransome demands. The latest incident which happened on Sunday, April 20, at Ilesha Baruba and Kemaanji, Baruten and Kaiama Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kwara State, led to the deaths of about six people. They had also carried out a separate attack within the same week in Kemaanji on Wednesday, April 16, which led to the deaths of 15 vigilantes and villagers.
Since these two incidents, residents of the attacked communities have spoken to different media outlets, sharing their ordeals and calling on the government to come to their rescue. The Emir of Yashikira, Alhaji Umaru Seriki, is among the local voices that have spoken up. On Tuesday, April 22, he told Daily Trust that his subjects are terrified by the activities of the Mahmuda terrorist group.
What is the Mahmuda group about?
Although their motives are still not entirely clear, reports from locals in the communities where they operate suggest that the Mahmuda terror group, or Mallam Group (named after their leader) are a faith-based terrorist group which broke away from Boko Haram, but with a more moderate ideology. They are also believed to be linked to some other groups in two other countries– Benin and Niger.
Where exactly do they operate?
The group operates around the Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP), which includes parts of Kwara and Niger States. Both states are located in the North Central region of Nigeria, also currently battling with banditry.
When did they emerge?
You may be hearing about them for the first time but the Mahmuda group is said to have occupied the KLNP axis for about five years now.
In 2022, the Senate acknowledged the insecurity in the area and asked the Nigerian Military to handle it. A motion titled “worsening insecurity in Kainji Lake National Park and existential threat to communities in Kaima, Baruten and Borgu Local Government in Kwara and Niger States” sponsored by the lawmaker representing Kwara North Senatorial District, Senator Sadiq Umar, and co-sponsored by the lawmaker representing Niger North, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi led to the Senate’s action.
The group, according to reports (and the Senators’ 2022 remarks) attacked the park, overpowered and drove away the Range Guards meant to protect the park.
What are the authorities saying and doing?
This situation is a bit tricky because even though the locals are complaining about their ordeals at the hand of this terrorist group, the authorities have not made a conclusive statement yet.
Unlike the reassuring statement released by the Defence Headquarters about the emergence of the Lakurawa terrorists group in November 2024, there’s been no collective acknowledgement or statement made about the Mahmuda group– On one hand, the Police in Niger State acknowledges the presence and activity of the group in the KLNP axis while the Kwara State Police continues to deny their presence, even in the face of picture and video evidence provided by communities that have been affected by them.
Confirming the presence of the group to FIJ on Friday, April 18, the spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun said “The Police Command is working in collaboration with the military to dislodge this group. A series of clearance operations have been carried out within the National Park; the operation is a continuous exercise and shall be sustained to ensure that the area is cleared of banditry.”
Answering the same question, the Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Police, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, described the reports as false, saying “no breach of internal security has been reported or observed in the aforementioned communities. Furthermore, our community engagement structures, including vigilante commanders and district heads, have not relayed any such incidents, which confirms this publication to be misleading and inciting.”
We’re not sure why the Police in Kwara has been unable to confirm the activities of Mahmuda in the state, because the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NTCC) in the Office of the National Security Adviser has confirmed this.
Speaking to Punch Newspapers in an exclusive interview on Friday, April 18, Major General Adamu Laka, after saying “we are aware of that group,” also said that security forces have begun conducting operations against them and recently carried out an attack at their camps some weeks back.
